miteke_mw

Why is damage important? Astril can fill a different role than damage. Agitha certainly sucks as far as damage goes, but I don't see her as a failure. Heck, that hex has saved our butts a lot of damage. At our level and with his dex, he should be sporting some niche weapons like tanglefoot bags and alchemist flasks for combat, particularly since consumables are refreshed every level. There are some interesting alchemical weapons out there to try out.

No need. She has a +7 (with a +2 bonus from her saddle) and cannot fail a DC 5 check. The Gecko bolts and Agitha is not trying to control it. That leaves the DC 15 ride check for a soft fall which I added to the post.

Melnop, who has long since finished eating, ponders Rudra's words. "Genies can be temperamental and downright nasty, right? That is a very good question. Will whatever we find, provided we find anything, be a mistake to hand over to it? Heck if I know. If so he will have to wrestle it out with the rest of the evil masterminds out there." Stats Male C/N Tiefling Ranger (Divine Marksman/Beast Master), Level 5, Init 4, HP 57/57, Speed 30 AC 18, Touch 13, Flat-footed 15, CMD 21, Fort 7, Ref 8, Will 3, CMB +8, Base Attack Bonus 5 Abilities Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 8 Resistances Energy Resistance 5 to cold, electricity, fire Conditions None Loot None Attacks Masterwork Composite Shortbow, 9 (1d6+10, x3) Bite 10 (1d6+5, x2) +2 to all to hit and attack rolls if human from favored enemy (replacing vicious aim bonus of +2 with a +4) Talon (Velociraptor Companion) Attacks Bite 7 (1d4+1, x2) Talon 7 (1d6+1, x2) Talon 7 (1d6+1, x2)

Melnop samples everything, and settles down to enjoy the meal. After all, part of exploring a new place is the food, though he finds it very similar to some of the food from back home. Stats Male C/N Tiefling Ranger (Divine Marksman/Beast Master), Level 5, Init 4, HP 57/57, Speed 30 AC 18, Touch 13, Flat-footed 15, CMD 21, Fort 7, Ref 8, Will 3, CMB +8, Base Attack Bonus 5 Abilities Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 8 Resistances Energy Resistance 5 to cold, electricity, fire Conditions None Loot None Attacks Masterwork Composite Shortbow, 9 (1d6+10, x3) Bite 10 (1d6+5, x2) +2 to all to hit and attack rolls if human from favored enemy (replacing vicious aim bonus of +2 with a +4) Talon (Velociraptor Companion) Attacks Bite 7 (1d4+1, x2) Talon 7 (1d6+1, x2) Talon 7 (1d6+1, x2)

Agitha is severely pummeled by the sounds as is her untrustworthy mount which bolts. "Oh oh!" she screams, as she is carried off 20' before she falls off the creature. Unperturbed (well, only a little perturbed), she continues to cackle after standing up. Stats F N/N Ratfolk Witch, Level 3, Init 3, Speed 20 Abilities Str 8, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 17, Wis 10, Cha 14 HP 20/20 AC 19, Touch 14, Flat-footed 16 10 +4 Mage Armor, +3 Dex, +1 Size, +1 Deflect CMD 12 Fort 4, Ref 4, Will 3 Attacks, Base Attack Bonus 1 Dagger 1 (1d4-1, x2) Ray of Enfeeblement (1d6+1 STR, 1 rd/lvl, ) Condition None Loot

Me too.

Terry nods in response. "To Metrol, then. It's not like I want to spend any more time than I have to in here." Stats Male TN Human Slayer/Fighter Level 1/4, Speed 20. Init +3 HP 46/46 AC 24 (16 without his plate armor) Touch 13 Flat-footed 21 CMD 22 (+2)[deft maneuvers][Trip][Disarm][Dirty Trick][Feint][Reposition][Steal] (+2)[favored class][trip][grapple] CMB +9 (+2)[deft maneuvers][Trip][Disarm][Dirty Trick][Feint][Reposition][Steal] Fort 8 Ref 6 Will 4 Base Attack Bonus 4 Attacks +9/1d6+10 Scimitar [crit 18-20/x2; S] +8/1d8+4 Composite Longbow Abilities Str 18, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 12 Conditions None

Terry wakes in the morning with a jerk. Half surprised he slept so soundly and half surprised he wasn't wakened in the middle of the night by a jaws clamped around his throat. "Anything happen in the night?" Stats Male TN Human Slayer/Fighter Level 1/4, Speed 20. Init +3 HP 46/46 AC 24 (16 without his plate armor) Touch 13 Flat-footed 21 CMD 22 (+2)[deft maneuvers] (+2)[favored class] CMB +9 (+2)[deft maneuvers] Fort 8 Ref 6 Will 4 Base Attack Bonus 4 Attacks +9/1d6+10 Scimitar [crit 18-20/x2; S] +8/1d8+4 Composite Longbow Abilities Str 18, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 12 Conditions None

Melnop cracks a smile, though he hides it beneath is cowl. "Of course, and anyone else of course. That is, if our host is amenable." Stats Male C/N Tiefling Ranger (Divine Marksman/Beast Master), Level 5, Init 4, HP 57/57, Speed 30 AC 18, Touch 13, Flat-footed 15, CMD 21, Fort 7, Ref 8, Will 3, CMB +8, Base Attack Bonus 5 Abilities Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 8 Resistances Energy Resistance 5 to cold, electricity, fire Conditions None Loot None Attacks Masterwork Composite Shortbow, 9 (1d6+10, x3) Bite 10 (1d6+5, x2) +2 to all to hit and attack rolls if human from favored enemy (replacing vicious aim bonus of +2 with a +4) Talon (Velociraptor Companion) Attacks Bite 7 (1d4+1, x2) Talon 7 (1d6+1, x2) Talon 7 (1d6+1, x2)

Melnop enjoys the travel, even the hot sands part, though Plinth (his unshod horse) is not nearly as fond of it. "Anyone have one of those weather spells. I'm worried Plinth might go lame." Regardless, Melnop fashions some kind of booted protection. Talon, on the other hand, being reptilian, seems energized by the heat. The arrival at the city excites the wanderer, and he makes a request of his employer. "Mind if I explore the city for a bit after we eat? Any rules here different from what we are used to?" Melnop finds city rules distasteful, but a necessary evil because they aren't going away. Stats Male C/N Tiefling Ranger (Divine Marksman/Beast Master), Level 5, Init 4, HP 57/57, Speed 30 AC 18, Touch 13, Flat-footed 15, CMD 21, Fort 7, Ref 8, Will 3, CMB +8, Base Attack Bonus 5 Abilities Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 8 Resistances Energy Resistance 5 to cold, electricity, fire Conditions None Loot None Attacks Masterwork Composite Shortbow, 9 (1d6+10, x3) Bite 10 (1d6+5, x2) +2 to all to hit and attack rolls if human from favored enemy (replacing vicious aim bonus of +2 with a +4) Talon (Velociraptor Companion) Attacks Bite 7 (1d4+1, x2) Talon 7 (1d6+1, x2) Talon 7 (1d6+1, x2)

"I'm up for the cellars. Or, er, down." Stats Male TN Human Slayer/Fighter Level 1/3, Speed 20. Init +3 HP 36/39 AC 24 (16 without his plate armor) Touch 13 Flat-footed 21 CMD 21 (+2)[deft maneuvers] (+1)[favored class] CMB +8 (+2)[deft maneuvers] Fort 8 Ref 6 Will 4 Base Attack Bonus 4 Attacks +8/1d6+9 Scimitar [crit 18-20/x2; S] +7/1d8+4 Composite Longbow Abilities Str 18, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 12 Conditions None

Nodding in agreement to the others, Terry adds, "I'm all for that plan, hide everything we have, settle into a room, and stay out of sight if possible. I really do not like the thought of fighting something called a ghostbeast. Even magical weapons are of limited use against ghostly things. I think. Actually, I don't really know squat about ghostly beasts. It's not like I've ever fought one or been trained to fight one. Don't even know if holy water would affect them. Or is that just for undead. Man, am I over my head here." Terry looks around, not sure whether to believe these things are nocturnal. Looking at the corpses, he muses, "I wonder what they eat. Souls probably." Stats Male TN Human Slayer/Fighter Level 1/3, Speed 20. Init +3 HP 36/39 AC 24 (16 without his plate armor) Touch 13 Flat-footed 21 CMD 21 (+2)[deft maneuvers] (+1)[favored class] CMB +8 (+2)[deft maneuvers] Fort 8 Ref 6 Will 4 Base Attack Bonus 4 Attacks +8/1d6+9 Scimitar [crit 18-20/x2; S] +7/1d8+4 Composite Longbow Abilities Str 18, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 12 Conditions None

"Or riding," Melnop supplements. "But I'm more worried about my friends here." Though both the raptor, currently sleeping, and the horse seem quite content to laze around on a giant rocking chair. Melnop, for his part, has his eyes glued on the land, taking it all in. Stats Male C/N Tiefling Ranger (Divine Marksman/Beast Master), Level 5, Init 4, HP 57/57, Speed 30 AC 18, Touch 13, Flat-footed 15, CMD 21, Fort 7, Ref 8, Will 3, CMB +8, Base Attack Bonus 5 Abilities Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 8 Resistances Energy Resistance 5 to cold, electricity, fire Conditions None Loot None Attacks Masterwork Composite Shortbow, 9 (1d6+10, x3) Bite 10 (1d6+5, x2) +2 to all to hit and attack rolls if human from favored enemy (replacing vicious aim bonus of +2 with a +4) Talon (Velociraptor Companion) Attacks Bite 7 (1d4+1, x2) Talon 7 (1d6+1, x2) Talon 7 (1d6+1, x2)

Will we need to use skills to navigate to get to the city, or just to find our way around once we are in it?

Carrying a fortress sized contraption is not on Terry's to do list. Don't think you can talk him into carrying it for you.